Tunneling-machine.



110.732.326. EATENTEE JUNE so, 1903.

P. UNANUE. y EUNNELING MACHINE.

APPEIOATION FILED DEO. 23, 1901. v No MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR m l 6,2%., EMEZ y @BY i l s ATTUHN EY /zil m: NormsPETERS co. pHoro-LINO.. wAsnmcTuN. n. c.

No. 732,326.' I PATENTED IU-'NB so, 1903.

' I LUNANUB.

TUNNBLING MACHINE.

APPLIATION FILED DEO. 23, 1901.

N0' MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@i Lw:

WITNESSESI INVENTOR'.

1M/' Y INM Tn: Nonms PETERS en. morovu'mu.. wAsmNsroN n c UNITED STATES"'Patented Jane so, 190s.

PEDRO UNANUE, oEMExIoo, MExIoo.

TUNNELING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 732,326, dated June 30,1903. Application filed December 23, 1901. Serial No. 36,902. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEDRO UNANUE, a subject of the King of Spain,residing at the city of Mexico, inthe State and Republic of Mexico, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tunneling.- Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in tunneling-machines, andhas for its objects, first, to provide Y a rapidly and smoothly acting'automatic feeding apparatus, and, secondly, to secure better working andcutting away of the rock byso arranging or directing the rams or cuttersas to insure blows squarely directed on the surface and not only on partof said surface, asis the case in ordinary tunneling-machines, therebyavoiding strains both on the rams or cutters and the apparatussupporting and operating the same. v

To this end my invention consists, essen tially, in atunneling-machinecomprising a series of cutters and means for revolving and feeding thesame forward, said cutters being set at an angle to the direction oftheir revelution.

My invention, furthermore, consistsin certain novel means for thefeeding and withdrawal of the cutter-head in its longitudinal direction,all of which is more fully pointed out in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinalcentral section of a machine embodying my invention, part being inelevation. Fig. 2 isa plan or top View. Fig. 3 is avertical'sectionl onthe line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 4 4,Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line 5 5Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is aface view of the ram-head and itsattached rams. Fig. 7 is an enlargedelevation of one of the cutters, illustrating its position relativetothe work.

Similar letters and numeralsof reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, theletter A designates the casing of thetunnelingmachine, which said casing is preferably made cylindrical andis adapted to be secured in and to the wall of the tunnel by fittings.

means of suitable radial jacks a. These jacks are made adjustable, asusual, by means of a threaded connection between its part-s, so as toenable the casing A to be securely held or to have a forward movementimparted after loosening the jacks. The4 opposite ends of the cylinder Aare closed by suitable heads I, provided with stuffing-boxes surroundingtubular plunger B, carrying at its forward end the ram-head C, uponwhich latter is mounted a series of rams D. These rams may be in theform of ordinary rock-drills provided with suitable cutters d at theends of their rods and adapted to be operated either by steam orpneumatic pressure. The rams `are so distributed on the ram-head thatthe cutters are located at` different radial distances from the center,but in overlapping peripheral paths, thus insuring the entire removal ofthe material without the necessity of blasting.

Within the plunger B is placed a tube E, having at its inner end a heade fitted to and guided in the bore of the plunger B, and pipes 2 areconducted from this head to the `respective valve-chambers of the rainsD.

Compressed air is supplied to the pipe E by means of a supply-pipe 3,extending through a suitable stuffing box Lf, carried by the plunger Band telescoping with the pipe E. The supply-pipe 3 is in communicationwith the main supply-pipes 5 through suitable Valves are interposedbetween the main supply-pipes 5 and the telescopic supply-pipe 3, asusual, for controlling the supply of air according to circumstances orfor entirely shutting off such supply or for shutting o one of the mainsupply-pipes 5.

The casing A is provided on its exterior with longitudinal guideways 6,to which is fitted a slide-bar 7, adapted to move with the plunger B andprovided at its forward end with a pinion 8, engaging with a gear-'Wheel9, rigidly mounted upon the said plunger. An air or other suitable motorF, mounted on suitable standards connected with the casing, drives atransverse shaft 10 through suitable intermediate gearing 11 and l2,which said shaft is provided with a worm 13, engaging with a gear 14,mounted on the slide-bar 7 for the purpose of turning the latter.

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For the purpose of advancing or feeding the ram-head C, I provide theplunger B with a piston 15, fitted to the bore of the casing A, and makeuse of suitable means for effecting a circulation of liquid-such,forinstance, as oil. The means herein shown consist of acirculating-pump G, driven from the shaft 10 of the motor F andconnected b y pipes 16 and l7 with the interior of the casing A onopposite sides of the piston l5. The function of this pump, as is wellunderstood in practice, is to remove the oil or other liquid from thecasing on one side. of the piston and to introduce it into the casing atthe other side of the piston, thus causing a feed of the ramhead orplunger corresponding to the speed of the pump. In practice I make useof two circulating-pumps of different capacities, the small pump G beingused for feeding the plunger while the machine is in operation and theother pump, G', when the casingis to be advanced for a readjustment ofthe machine, as will be subsequently described.

For the purpose of removing the slime from themachine I make use of ascrew conveyer or a series of screw conveyers H, having its shaftmounted in suitable bearings in hangers 20, respectively attached to therails 2l and the hangers 22 of the casing A. From the plunger B dependguides 22X, engaging the rail. The conveyer H is rotated from the shaft7 by means of suitable chaimwheels 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 and chains3l, 32, and 33, all arranged for the purpose of obtaining an acceleratedrotation of said conveyer.

The operation of the machine is as follows: In the position of the partsshown in Fig. l the machine is toward the end of its feed. Thecirculating-pump G is drawing liquid from the' forward end of thecylinder A and introducing it into said cylinder back of the piston, soas to cause a gradual forward feed of the ram-head. The motor F throughthe intermediate mechanism described rotates the plunger B and ram-headC, while the conveyer H is rotated for the purpose of removing theslime. In this operative position of the machine the jacks a aretightened against the wall of the tunnel and hold the casing firmly inposition, while the jacks a', attached to the plunger B, are in aposition to clear the wall of the tunnel. When the plunger B is at theend of its feed or stroke, the supply of air is closed off at thesupplypipe or at valve 23 and the jacks a/ are caused to engage with andto immovably holdthe plungeragainst longitudinal movement. The jacks aon the casing are then screwed down to clear the walls of the tunnel,and the casing is moved forward, together with its attached parts, toplace the machine in operative position for the next drilling operation.Heretofore the surfaces of the cutters on the rams have been arranged tostrike in a plane parallel to the surface of the material acted upon orlin a plane parallel to the plane of revolution of the ram-head, andconsequently rods.

the cutters after the first blow would not strike squarely, but wouldimpinge on the uncut material, and consequently tend to produce abending movement on the rammer- This objection I avoid by setting theseveral rams at an inclination to the direction of their revolution, sothat the cutters always strike the material squarely-that is to say,this angle is so taken as to correspond to the feed during revolutionfor producing the proper etect. In Fig. 7 I have shown the position inwhich the rammer-rod is set. The rammers D are preferably adjustablymounted, so that the angle to which they can be set may be varied.

Before the casing A is moved forward the plunger is blocked up in ausual manner, so as to prevent undue strain on the conveyer and otherpendent parts and permit an easy forward movement of the cylinder. Thisfor ward movement of the cylinder is etected either by reversing thecirculating-pump or by throwing 'the larger pump G into operation, so asto accelerate the movement.

l. In a tunneling-machine, the combination of a ram-head provided with aseries of rammers having their rods inclined to the ramhead in andtoward the direction of revolution of the ram-head together with aninclination from the axis of revolution of the ram-head, and meansfor'rotating and feeding said ramhead, substantially as described.

2. In a tunneling-machine, the combination of 'a ram-head provided witha series of rammers having their rods inclined to the ramhead in ortoward the direction of revolution of the ram-head together with aninclination from the axis of revolution of the ram-head, and saidrammers being adjustably mounted relative to said ram-head, and meansfor rotating and feeding said ram-head, substantially as described.

3. Inatunneling-machine, the combination of a ram-head provided with aseries of ram mers having their rods inclined to the ramhead in andtoward the direction of revolution of the ram-head together with aninclination from the axis of revolution of the ram-head, and saidrammers being arranged at different radial distances so as to travel indifferent overlapping paths,and means for rotating and feeding saidram-head substantially as described.

4. A tunneling-machine comprising in its structure a casing providedwith means for securing the same in the tunnel, a plunger slidablewithin said casing and provided with a piston fitted to said casing, acirculatingpump connected with a cylinder for lnoving the plunger ineither direction by liquid means, a ram-head at one end of said plungerprovided with a series of rammers arranged at an inclination to thedirection of their revelution, means for rotating the plunger, and meansfor securing the casing and plunger in the tunnel substantially asdescribed.

IIO

5. A tunneling-machine comprising in its structure a. easing providedwith means for securing the same in the tunnel, a plunger slidablewit-hin said easing, a. ram-head on said plunger provided with a. seriesof remmers, two circulating-pumps of different capacities connected withsaid casing for longitudinally moving the plunger in oppositedirections,

means for rotating the plunger, and means for securing the easing andthe plunger in the :o tunnel substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

PEDRO UNANUE.

Witnesses:

A. FABER DU FAUR, Jr., WM. J. FARRELL.

